So, you got the interview all lined up and your ready and raring to go…well if you plan on doing well, you better avoid these 50 interview killers (and yes, every single one of these we have seen or have heard about from colleagues):
- Arrive late or too early (more than 10 minutes is too old)
- Fall asleep or yawn
- Smell like cigarette smoke or alcohol
- Discuss your party life
- Dress inappropriately
- Talk bad about your past co-workers or boss
- Be rude or obscene
- Be overly sarcastic
- Try to tell jokes
- Forget your resume
- Look at your watch/play with jewellery
- Ask about money too early
- Don’t research the company
- Ask too many questions
- Ask no questions at all
- Use “like” too often
- Be unable to answer their questions
- Lie about your experience
- Wear too much or too little makeup
- Sound desperate
- Leave your phone on
- Be fidgety while talking or being talked to
- Use big words incorrectly
- Forget to ask for the job
- Act like you have better places to be
- Expect benefits immediately
- Be a braggart
- Be overly shy
- Speak too quickly/or too slowly
- Swear
- A joke about sexual harassment rules
- Talk about your solitaire skills
- Complain about anything
- Roll your eyes
- Interrupt the interviewer
- Arrive under the influence
- Talk too much
- Ask about holiday’s off
- Not know which position you are interviewing for
- Forget the name of the company/interviewer
- Chew gum
- Ask about dating in the workplace
- Be fake/overly excited
- Use words that mean nothing like “web 2.0″ and “go-getter.”
- Don’t ask for their business card
- Deliver a weak or too firm handshake
- Name drop
- Ask the interviewer their age/relationship status/gender
- Bring in food to eat during the interview
- Don’t even show up
Have you had a lousy interviewer/interviewee? Share your experience!